Ned Stark Gets a New Actor for Upcoming Game of Thrones Project

For fans eager to experience Westeros in a new light, the Royal Shakespeare Company has unveiled the complete cast for the upcoming Game of Thrones prequel play, The Mad King. Michael Abubakar steps into the role of Ned Stark, taking over from Sean Bean. Abubakar boasts a rich theater background, having portrayed Romeo in the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland’s production of Romeo & Juliet and Jimmy in Almeida Theatre’s Roots, among other roles.

The full cast includes Michael Shaffer as King Aerys II Targaryen, Noah Ritter as Prince Rhaegar, Harmony Rose-Bremner as Lyanna Stark, Maxim Ays as Jaime Lannister, Callum Woodhouse as Robert Baratheon, and Elizabeth Ayodele as Elia Martell. The play is penned by Duncan Macmillan, known for works like Lungs and Nineteen Eighty-Four, and directed by Dominic Cooke, recognized for The Comedy of Errors and Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.

Game of Thrones: The Mad King is set to premiere at the Royal Shakespeare Theater in London from July 20 to September 5. The first week is already sold out, but tickets for later performances are still available. The story unfolds ten years before the events of Game of Thrones, focusing on the Tourney at Harrenhal, the jousting competition that ignited Robert Baratheon’s rebellion against the “Mad King” Aerys II Targaryen. This tournament marks the fateful meeting of Prince Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark, whose subsequent abduction sparked a series of events reminiscent of the tale of Helen of Troy, ultimately leading to war.

The RSC’s website describes the play’s premise as follows:

“Enter the world before. A long winter thaws in Harrenhal, and spring is promised. At a lavish banquet on the eve of a jousting tournament, lovers meet and revellers speculate about who will contend. But in the shadows, amid growing unease at the bloodthirsty actions of the realm’s merciless Mad King, dissenters from his inner circle anxiously advance a treasonous plot. Far away, the drums of battle sound.

Family bonds, ancient prophecies, and the sacred line of succession will be tested in a dangerous campaign for power. Who will survive? Who will rise?”

Despite the divisive nature of Game of Thrones’ finale, Warner Bros. and HBO continue to expand the franchise with various projects, including House of the Dragon, which recently teased a new season 3 trailer, and last year’s well-received A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.

As for George R. R. Martin, the production is likely to reignite discussions among fans about why he’s focusing on spin-off projects instead of his long-anticipated novel, The Winds of Winter. His latest update indicated that he has over 1,000 pages completed. One thing is certain: audiences will likely see The Mad King hit the stage long before that much-awaited book arrives.